Rachna Tyagi meets up with actor Gul Panag who was invited by Renault to test drive an F1 car in France recently

MUMBAI: Recently, former Miss India and actor Gul Panag was called in as a celebrity invitee to test drive Renault’s Formula 1 car on the Paul Ricard Circuit which is now known as the Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track at Le Castellete, France.

The circuit is a high-tech training track where every square metre is covered by cameras, and where flags have been replaced by multi coloured lights that serve as indicators.

“This was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” says Gul Panag, who’s now returned from France. “As you know, I drive a 4×4 custom built Mahindra Scorpio but driving an F1 car is in a different league altogether, where you’re expected to leave your conventional driving wisdom behind. Being a motoring enthusiast the opportunity to test-drive a Formula 1 car was indeed exciting, to say the least. It was a fantastic feeling going through all sorts of emotions as well as being part of the training that a Formula 1 race driver has to go through on the day of the race,” says the actor.

“Would you believe it, if I told you that there are 19 sizes of helmets available for you to try on and get the best fit for your head before you enter the race car,” exclaims the visibly overjoyed Panag.